Best MMA Fighter ESPY Award
| Best MMA Fighter ESPY Award | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | best mixed martial arts fighter |
| Presented by | ESPN |
| First awarded | 2019 |
| Currently held by | Sean O'Malley |
| Website | espn |
The Best MMA Fighter ESPY Award is an annual award honoring the achievements of an individual from the world of mixed martial arts. The Best MMA Fighter ESPY Award trophy is presented to the mixed martial arts fighter adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year at the annual ESPY Awards ceremony. It was first awarded as part of the ESPY Awards in 2019, succeeding the Best Fighter ESPY Award, which encompassed both boxers and MMA fighters.
The inaugural winner of the Best MMA Fighter ESPY Award was American UFC Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier, who won and defended the championship in 2018.[1]
Winners and nominees
| Year | Image | Winner | Nationality | Sanctioning body or league | Weight class | Nominees | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 
|
Daniel Cormier |  USA
|
Ultimate Fighting Championship | Heavyweight |  Israel Adesanya Henry Cejudo Amanda Nunes
|
[1][2] |
| 2020 | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic | ||||||
| 2021 | 
|
Khabib Nurmagomedov |  RUS
|
Ultimate Fighting Championship | Lightweight | Amanda Nunes Rose Namajunas Francis Ngannou
|
[3] |
| 2022 | 
|
Charles Oliveira | BRA
|
Ultimate Fighting Championship | Lightweight | Kayla Harrison Kamaru Usman Alexander Volkanovski
|
[4] |
| 2023 | 
|
Jon Jones | USA
|
Ultimate Fighting Championship | Heavyweight |  Leon Edwards Amanda Nunes Islam Makhachev
|
[5] |
| 2024 | 
|
Sean O'Malley | USA
|
Ultimate Fighting Championship | Bantamweight | Islam Makhachev Alex Pereira Zhang Weili
|
[6] |
References
- ^ a b Cingari, Jennifer (July 10, 2019). "The 2019 ESPYS, Hosted by Legendary Comedian Tracy Morgan, Celebrated the Biggest Achievements, Performances and Moments of the Year in Sports" (Press release). ESPN. ESPN Press Room.
- ^ Cingari, Jennifer (June 19, 2019). "Nominees Announced for The 2019 ESPYS as Fan Voting Begins" (Press release). ESPN. ESPN Press Room.
- ^ "The 2021 ESPYS Nominees" (Press release). ESPN. ESPN Press Room. June 16, 2021.
- ^ "2022 ESPYS: Full list of award winners". ESPN.com. July 20, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
- ^ "2023 ESPYS: Full list of award winners". ESPN.com. July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
- ^ "2024 ESPYS: Here is the list of winners". ESPN.com. July 11, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.